VALDOSTA – A rezoning request to make way for the construction of a car wash facility at Harmon Drive has been approved by Valdosta City Council.

The request, made by Jason Parker, pertains to property at 1511 Harmon Drive; 0.97 acres will go from Single-Family Residential to Highway-Commercial.

The property is vacant and the applicant has plans to acquire both the property and the adjacent C-H property at 1513 Harmon Drive for combined redevelopment as a car wash facility facing North St. Augustine Road.

Matt Martin, city planning and zoning administrator, highlighted the zoning and land use context surrounding the subject property when presenting the case to City Council. After Martin’s report, Councilman Eric Howard expressed concerns about the increasing number of car wash facilities in the area.

He requested the facilities enhance security and discourage homeless individuals from attempting to stay on the premises.

In response to Howard’s concerns, Martin clarified that the current request for rezoning does not specifically approve the car wash facility. However, he acknowledged the need for security measures.

“Of course what’s before you is not a specific approval for car wash by the zoning change one thing that we could pass on as a request to staff that when it comes to plan review that facility be securable at night, I think the automated part of it will have its doors like I’ve seen with other car washes in town itself, self-serve bays may be a different story. Lighting probably would go a long way to deter some of that. and I think that’s something staff can look at during a plan review process,” he said.

City Council, with the exception of Howard, approved the rezoning request, allowing the project to move forward.